I am so very sorry for the loss of your father.
The Holy Mass is the most powerful prayer,
period.
One Mass alone, just one singular Mass for the deceased is enough and more than enough.
Masses offered for the same soul is a sign of people’s love and concern for them and also a sign of the grief of their loss. Sometimes an extensive offering of Masses for a soul can be due to a great deal of worry whether the soul is with God or not and sometimes it is because the grieving seek consolation for the loss of their loved one. In those circumstances this can be very unhealthy for those left grieving, at some point we must trust in God’s mercy. God does not keep souls in purgatory forever, those in purgatory are destined to be with God for all eternity and whilst we should offer prayer for those who have died, we must not see God as a strict judge, God will not keep a soul in purgatory a second longer than is beneficial for the soul.
Sometimes a person can be so concerned with their deceased relative and their salvation that they forget to live themselves and rather than live themselves they forget life and others in their life.
People offer endless Masses for their deceased loved ones and more often than not have not offered a single mass for them whilst they were alive this side of life. I would invite everyone to offer Masses for each other, loved ones, friends, family, parishes, authorities and those who we feel are against us.
It is just and a work of mercy to bury the dead and offer prayers for them. But it is greater to offer prayers and Masses for those who are alive this side of life. I say that because it is a great deal harder to offer Mass for someone this side of life than it is to offer it for them after their death.
By all of this I don’t mean to sound that we should not pray for those who have died, of course we should remember and pray for those who have died. However a soul that commends a loved one once to God and trusts in His Mercy is greater than a soul that commends a loved one many times to God and is not sure of their trust that God will be merciful. We do not re-confess sins (that have not been committed again) once we have been absolved of them, we trust in God’s Mercy and Forgiveness, so too we must trust in God’s Mercy when we commend our deceased loved ones to Him.
One thing that I hardly ever see is a Mass said for those who are left behind after someone dies. This would also be a greater work of mercy, to pray for the family, friends and loved ones of the person who has died.
I posted up a verse in another thread but I will also post it here and anyone who is struggling to trust in God’s Mercy may like to slowly read it and meditate upon it and I hope and pray they find peace in it, because more often than not their deceased loved one is at peace, but those left behind are not:
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled
you have faith in God, have faith also in Me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not would I have told you
that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to Myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going, you know the way.’
If your father did not receive a Catholic Requiem Mass, then offer one Mass for him. If your father did receive a full Catholic Mass at his funeral, then offer one Mass for him. Keep him in your heart and speak with him often and ask him to pray for you. When my father died after a period of time I asked my father to pray for me, I spoke with him about many things and my heart was greatly consoled to know in many small ways, over time, my prayers were answered, this was more beautiful to me to know I still converse with my father, who if he was not with God, the prayers I asked him to pray for me would not have been answered. The Mass I offered for my father was one of thanksgiving to our Father for the life of my late father.
The Peace of Christ to your heart and spirit and I will offer my next Eucharist for you.
In my prayers
